放心！是我！ Take Courage! It is I

常年期第19主日，甲年
主題：放心！是我！ Take Courage! It is I.

我們的信仰建基在【聖經】的啟示之上，第四世紀的聖葉理諾曾說過，「不認識聖經，就不認識基督」。【聖經】是一個小型圖書館，藏有73本書，組成《舊約》和《新約》。《新約》是相對地新，成書在公元第一世紀，是兩千年前的文字。可想而知，《舊約》更古老，成書距今不少於二千六百年。想了解這些古老的經典，必須借助考古學、文字學等等的幫助。可幸教會內有不少前輩聖人，把他們研習【聖經】的心得累積，流傳後世，讓我們有所依據，不至錯解經文。與聖葉理諾同時代的聖奧思定曾這樣說：「新約隱藏在舊約中，而舊約則顯露在新約中」。很多《舊約》事蹟是《新約》事蹟的象徵，例如『諾厄方舟』（創6:14）象徵『教會』；『逾越節羔羊』（出12:3）象徵『耶穌基督』；『過紅海』（出14:15-29）象徵『聖洗聖事』等等。但『象徵』始終是『象徵』 ，在細節上與現實有一定距離，所以只應『意會』其主旨，而不應強求所有細節都一致。例如，耶穌在第17主日宣講的『撒網比喻』說：「網一滿了，人就拉上岸來，坐下，揀好的，放在器皿裡；壞的，扔在外面」（瑪13:48）。對於二千年前加里肋亞省的捕魚業來說是正確的，因為以當時的技術水平只能近岸作業。但現代人出海網魚，是遠洋作業。在海上航行一兩個月後才撒網。網一滿了會即時在船上揀選漁獲，而不是駛回岸才揀！主旨仍是保留好的，拋棄壞的，細節就不應『強人所難』了。所謂「大德不踰閑，小德出入可也」（論語‧子張）。

雖然耶穌在宣講『撒網比喻』時沒有提到『船』，但倘若沒有『船』的話，怎樣在海中『撒網』呢？因此，無論是《舊約》的『諾厄方舟』，或是《福音》的『撒網比喻』，都是一脈相承，用『船』象徵『教會』，是『天國』的雛型，是一個由蒙恩得救的人所組成的共融團體，一個有待末日才圓滿的團體！從這個角度默想，今天的福音選段蠻有意義！

今天選段的上文是耶穌基督剛完成了『五餅二魚』神跡，群眾吃飽了，門徒們收集了12筐碎塊（瑪14:20）。按瑪竇的記載：「耶穌即刻催迫門徒上船，在祂以先到對岸去；這其間，祂遣散了群眾」（14:22）。但瑪竇沒有記載耶穌遣散群眾的原因，馬爾谷〔伯多祿的秘書〕也沒有記載，只有耶穌所愛的門徒若望有記載（若6:15）。可見只有一本『官方的、權威的、統一的』福音並不是一件好事，耶穌基督便會失去了一個更『立體化』的面貎！

『海』從來都是一個充滿凶險的地方。耶穌宣講『撒網比喻』時只是輕描淡寫，完全沒有提及教會在茫茫人海，網羅眾生時會遇到『險象環生』的情況。雖然今天門徒們不是撒網捕魚，只是航行到對岸，但人海的凶險，卻實實在在地呈現眼前！對於一個由人組成的團體，凶險不外乎『內憂』與『外患』。『外患』是指與其他團體競爭資源，或者更大範圍的政治和文化迫害。『內憂』是指組織架構上的破綻、領導階層的無能，錯判形勢、成員之間貎合神離，各懷鬼胎等等，都會引發團體的內耗衰落。教會作為人世間一個有形可見的團體，『內憂』與『外患』都是不能倖免的。在『外患』方面，教會能做到的並不多，保祿宗徒教訓信徒要「為眾君王和一切有權位的人〔祈禱〕，為叫我們能以全心的虔敬和端莊，度寧靜平安的生活」（弟前2:2）。『絃外之音』是希望信徒能在不受干擾的環境中，生活他們的信仰。在『內憂』方面，正如『撒網比喻』所說，教會中人有好有壞，其中必定有混水摸魚的人潛伏當中。即使揭發了，也以『救人靈魂是最高的法律』為理由，仍然留他們在教會內。教會是開放給『罪人』的教會，每個人在教會內的淨化進度不同，衝突磨擦，在所難免。教會中有很多有識之士，在神學和禮規上的爭論沒完沒了，間中甚至出現『裂教』的現象。這是教會獨有的『內憂』，其他團體很快便會『排除異己』，能說內外口徑統一的『官腔』了！教會擁抱『罪人』所產生的『內憂』，有如耶穌基督復活後仍然保留著的『五傷』，可能要到末日才會消失！

不得不提，天主運用的象徵，不局限於文字，例如（達5:25）；還有令人意想不到的行為。例如天主指示依撒意亞先知裸體赤足而行三年（依20:1-6）；指示歐瑟亞先知娶一個娼婦為妻，生淫亂的子女（歐1:2）。同理，我們在『耶穌基督步行海面』的神跡，可以默想到祂這個意想不到的行動，有針對著教會『內憂』的象徵意義。
西滿在這次神跡中的表現，得到耶穌基督不折不扣的評價：「小信德的人哪，你為甚麼懷疑？」（瑪14:31b）後來，耶穌基督竟然給他起名為『磐石』，即委派西滿一個新使命，就是要在這『磐石』上建立祂的教會（16:18）！天主要在這位『小信德的人』身上建立祂的教會，這『天國的雛型』豈不是『岌岌可危』嗎？這位『磐石』三次在人前否認耶穌，證明了他性格衝動，而且在困局當前的時候，他沒有解決困難的能力！由伯多祿領導的教會，真的能『穩操勝券』嗎？ 保祿宗徒說：「…基督愛了教會…使她在自己面前呈現為一個光耀的教會，沒有瑕疵，沒有皺紋，或其人也類似的缺陷；而使她成為聖潔和沒有污點的」（弗5:25; 27）！教會真的可以有這樣光耀的一天嗎？耶穌卻對我們說：「放心！是我。不必害怕」（瑪14:27）！ 真的可以如此樂觀，可以不害怕嗎？

親愛的兄弟姊妹，倘若我們害怕，我們擔心教會在不稱職的牧者領導下，不能渡過各式各樣的危機：財政醜聞、性侵醜聞、神職人員老化、聖召危機、主日參加禮儀的人數下跌、教友離婚率高企…，真是個『千瘡百孔』的團體！主耶穌在今次神跡中的說話和行動，可以給大家安慰鼓勵，幫助各位堅持相信到底嗎？
天主保祐！

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2023年反省
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

建立天國 Building Up the Kingdom of Heaven

常年期第18主日，甲年
主題：建立天國 Building Up the Kingdom of Heaven

從這個主日開始，連續七個主日到第廿四主日，我們進入了『耶穌基督公開生活』的第四部份，即『建設天國』部份。且讓我們重溫前一部份，有關『天國奧秘』的教訓。『天國』是一個頗為複雜難明的概念，所以耶穌基督用『比喻』向群眾宣講，『天國』已靜悄悄地進入了世界。至於『比喻』的含意，耶穌只解釋給門徒知道（瑪13:11）。從耶穌基督的解釋中，我們領略到三個『天國』的意義。『撒播的比喻』（13:1-8）講述人的心有如土地，『天國』是指天主的旨意在人心中運作的不同情况；有失敗的、有艱難的、也有成功的，結出100倍果實。『芥子的比喻』（13:31-32）說『教會』是『天國』呈現在世上可見的組織，由微不足道發展成為一個大家庭，開枝散葉，接納全人類加入的國度。『莠子的比喻』（13:24-30）和『撒網的比喻』（13:47-50）講述末日時有審判，到時『天國』將會圓滿地呈現，義人將在『天國』永享光榮。這個光榮的『天國』，不會是一蹴即至的，而是基督以很大的耐性和希望，經年累月，把『教會』淨煉得來的（弗5:25-27）。今天的福音選段，講述耶穌基督如何在世上開始建立『天國』。

雖然保祿宗徒在處理羅馬教會內有關飲食的爭執時，曾教訓羅馬教會的教友說：「其實天主的國並不在於吃喝，而在於義德、平安以及在聖神內的喜樂」（羅14:17）。但所謂『三軍未動，糧草先行』，所以建立『天國』，必先處理供應飲食的問題，即是如何滋養和維持天國子民的靈性生命，如何幫助他們靈性生命的成長問題。今天我們默想瑪竇宗徒所記載，耶穌基督行五餅二魚神跡，領會祂對有猶太背景的信徒，訓誨些甚麼。

倘若你有參加平日彌撒的習慣，恭喜你，今天耶穌行『五餅二魚』神跡，是回應不久前〔常年期第16周星期一〕的故事。當時法利塞人挑戰耶穌行一個「徵兆」（瑪12:38），即一個來自天上的神跡，例如『天降瑪納』，供應60萬以色列人40年的糧食！倘若耶穌做不到，祂就不是『默西亞』，就不是預言中那位像梅瑟一樣偉大的先知（申18:15）。當日撒殫在曠野試探耶穌時，曾要求耶穌把石頭變餅充飢，來證明自己是天主子（瑪4:3）。法利塞人的要求，與撒殫的誘惑，同出一轍！當時耶穌拒絕法利塞人的要求，並嚴正地指出，這裡有比約納和撒羅滿更偉大的先知和君王（瑪12:41-42）！

天主子言出必行，明智地在適當的時候採取適當的行動。上文說耶穌聽到黑落德安提帕處死了若翰洗者的消息，便乘船私下退到荒野的地方。群眾聽到消息，便從各城步行跟祂去荒野。「祂一下船，看見一大夥群眾，便對他們動了憐憫的心，治好了他們的病人」（14:14）。可見耶穌行神跡，不是為了證明自己是天主子。祂行神跡是為了滿全群眾身、心、靈各方面的需要，引領世人歸向在天之父。請注意，瑪竇沒有記載耶穌向病人宣講甚麼與主與人修和的好消息，而是務實地，具體地治好有病的人！耶穌基督清楚地示範了，傳福音，建天國不是信德道理先行，而是愛德服務先行！

另一方面，既然耶穌是天主子，絕對有能力行驚天動地的神跡。區區『無中生有』，憑空創造足夠的食糧，給5000人吃飽（14:21），又有何難，為甚麼要用五餅二魚（14:17）行神跡那麼麻煩呢？的確，福音記載耶穌所行的神跡，與中國小說，如《西遊記》、《封神演義》中的神跡相比，簡直是『小巫見大巫』。但兩者的寫作目的不同，不應相提並論。『小說』固然影射當代的民情和社會現况，但畢竟以娛樂消遣為主。『福音』「所記錄的，是為叫你們信耶穌是默西亞，天主子；並使你們信的人，賴祂的名獲得生命」（若20:31）。福音是為了我們獲得救贖，分享天主永恆生命而寫的。耶穌來是為了成全法律和先知（瑪5:17），所以祂行的神跡，與《舊約》中的事蹟、神跡，前後呼應。
在達味逃避撒烏耳追殺時，曾在諾布的司祭手中，求來五個供奉天主的餅，與同伴們一起吃，然後繼續上路（撒上21:4）。在列王時代，先知厄里叟─他是先知厄里亞的繼任人─把20個初熟大麥造成的餅，分給100個人吃。他們吃完後，還有剩餘（列下4:42-44）。五餅餅二魚當然不足以給5000人吃飽，所以耶穌的確『無中生有』了很多食物。那『五餅二魚』只是一個標記而已，讓群眾想起達味的『五個餅』事蹟，認識到耶穌可能是默西亞，是達味的後裔；想起厄里叟相似的『增餅神蹟』，認識到耶穌可能是預言中那位有如梅瑟那樣偉大的先知。按若望宗徒的記載，五餅二魚神跡後，「他們〔群眾〕要來強迫祂〔耶穌〕，立祂為王」（若6:14-15）。『五餅二魚』的標記，果然發揮了作用。不過，我們不要太天真，以為行神跡能夠增強看見神跡的人的信德！行神跡只能標誌著天主的臨在、天主的慈悲。看見神跡的人可以誤解、可以認為是騙局、甚至可以用科學方法去解釋所見的表面現象…

親愛的兄弟姊妹，作為耶穌的門徒，教會的一份子，雖然我們沒有耶穌基督的本領，行五餅二魚的神跡，但最低限度我們也可以像門徒一樣，從主耶穌手上，接過祂遞給門徒的『生命之糧』，分給群眾（瑪14:19）！為那些我們認識的，已領洗的弟兄姊妹，可能因為健康理由或其他理由，沒有返聖堂參加彌撒領聖事。試想想你可以怎樣把『生命之糧』，分給他們呢？為那些我們認識的，未領洗的外教朋友，你可以怎樣把『生命之糧』，分給他們呢？第一步當然是幫助他們領洗入教，他們便可以和我們一起享受這『生命之糧』。好機會來了，新一屆『慕道班』將於9月17日開班，2028年4月15日復活節前夕領洗。請關心身邊未領洗入教的家庭成員、親戚朋友，介紹他們參加堂區的慕道班，加入教會，與我們一起享受永生！倘若你已經領有教理班導師證書，請與堂區辦事處聯絡，加入堂區的慕道團。
天主保祐！

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2020年反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

聖神如何滋潤我們？ How are We Given to Drink of One Spirit?

五旬節主日，甲年
主題：聖神如何滋潤我們？ How are We Given to Drink of One Spirit?

教會把天主拯救世人的工程，安排在一年之中周而復始地慶祝，加深我們對天主的感恩和虔敬。四部福音記載了耶穌基督的言行。於是教會用三年時間，在主日彌撒，每年集中讀一本『對觀福音』的選段。並且在適當的節日，選讀《若望福音》，使信友充分了解主耶穌的言行。今天是五旬節，教會慶祝聖神降臨，也就是教會的『生日』。三年的主日彌撒讀經，完全一樣！惟一不同的，是第二篇讀經。我們宣讀《格林多前書》三篇不同的選段。

感謝方濟會的神父們，他們參照希伯來文、希臘文及拉丁文各個權威版本，把【聖經】翻譯成為中文，幫助我們祈禱默想，讓我們更容易領會天主的旨意。因為文化上的差異，翻譯能夠做到『信、雅、達』，已經是難能可貴了。作為教友，倘若生活上尤有餘力，學習一點希伯來文或者希臘文是有益的。既可以減慢『腦退化』，更可以深刻地理解經文的意義。例如為今天講道而默想時，其中有一句特別觸動自己的經文，是這樣寫的：「又都為同一個聖神所滋潤」（格前12:13）。 聖神啊！祢想借助這句經文，告訴我甚麼呢？在聖神的督促之下，我開始查考希臘文原文，發現金句中的『所滋潤』，原文是『飲/喝』字的被動式。結果我喝醉了！

且讓我們重溫一點『天主聖三』的道理，我們把它濃縮到每個主日彌撒所唸的《信經》之中。關於『聖神』，我們是這樣唸的：「我信聖神，祂是主及賦予生命者，由聖父聖子所其發」。在宇宙存在之前，只有一個全能的天主。若望宗徒在他所寫的書信中，告訴我們：「天主是愛」（若一4:8）。愛是一股外向的力量，天主這股外向的全能力量，便『情不自禁』地創造了一個適合人類生活的宇宙。再次感謝若望宗徒，在他所寫的福音中，他告訴我們當天主發號司令創造的一刻，『祂』與『祂的命令』便成為我們所認知的『聖父』和『聖子』了。『聖父』是宇宙萬物的起源，『聖子』是祂的言語。祂們之間交流著的『愛情』，就是『聖神』，就是滿溢著生命力的『氣息』。《創世紀》告訴們，當上主天主用地上的灰土形成亞當的時候，「…在他鼻孔內吹了一口生氣， 人就成了一個有靈的生物」（創2:7）。何以見得這『一口生氣』就是『聖神』呢？在《創世紀》第五章所記載上古時代的人物，最短命的拉默客〔即諾厄的父親〕，也有777歲。為了解釋為甚麼當今大部份的人類都活不過120歲，《創世紀》的作者/編輯便作出了以下的解釋：「因為人既屬於血肉，我〔天主〕的神不能常在他內；他的壽數只可到120歲」（6:3）。在這兩段經文互相光照之下，我們可以放膽說：『聖神就是聖父聖子之間交流的氣息』。

『氣息/風』是肉眼所見不到的，只可以憑它的運動所引起的環境變化，來推斷它的存在。天主是永生的天主，所以祂的氣息，就是令萬物擁有生命的氣息。亞當的肉體是由塵土所造，最後還要歸於塵土（3:19）。是天主有生命的氣息，使亞當活起來。亞當的一言一行，便反映出聖神在運行中！以後，《舊約》還記載了『聖神』的一些事跡，例如：當「上主的神」降在民長三松身上時，他赤手空拳，把一隻向他咆哮的小獅子撕裂，有如撕裂小山羊一樣（民14:5-6）；當「天主的神」降在以色列第一任君王撒烏耳身上時，他邊行邊說妙語〔預言〕（撒上19:23）。在巴比倫，「至聖神明的精神」降在達尼爾身上，他為驕傲的拿步高王解夢，預言上主對他的懲罰（達4:6; 21-24）。天主聖神有如風，來無蹤、去無跡；祂讓我們看到千變萬化的形態。到了新約時代，耶穌在約但河受洗後，聖神有如鴿子降下，來到祂上面（瑪3:16）；在耶穌升天後的五旬期，聖神以巨響、暴風和散在各人頭上的火舌，使120個門徒說世界各地的不同語言，為復活了的耶穌作見證。憑此林林總總的表現，我們可以推測到『聖神』的臨在和祂的威力！

在默想我們如何『暢飲』天主聖神，祂又如何『滋潤』我們之前，讓我們先從負面看天主聖神與我們的關係，對比出聖神的『滋潤』，為我們是多麼好。 當法利塞人毀謗耶穌基督仗賴魔王驅魔的時候，祂警告說：「凡出言干犯人子的，可得赦免；但出言干犯聖神的，在今世及來世，都不得赦免」（12:24; 32）。聖神是生命的氣息，所以干犯聖神，就是自尋死路，進入一種永遠的『死亡』之中了，應該是非常可怕的。 另一方面，保祿宗徒告訴我們，聖神停留在我們身上時，我們就會結出九個效果，散發出九種高尚的氣質，就是：「仁愛、喜樂、平安、忍耐、良善、溫和、忠信、柔和、節制」（迦5:22-23）。正如在起初，亞當的一言一行，反映出聖神的運行！同樣，我們說話，是聖神在說話（瑪10:20）；我們關愛身邊有困難的人，是聖神藉我們關愛需要幫助的人。這九個超性的效果，使我們容光煥發，心廣體胖，生活無憂無懼。

當人憂鬱的時候，人會暫時離開令他憂鬱的場合。同理，倘若在我們內的聖神憂鬱了，祂會離開我們，我們便會失去上述九種氣質，最終可能會陷入危險的抑鬱裡，以至痛苦萬分！所以，即使我們已經領了『堅振聖事』、領受了聖神，也不要掉以輕心。因為挽留聖神在心中，也要費點心力。倘若我們在靈修上、在祈禱和讀經上鬆懈了，開始不管制自己的口舌，搬弄是非，挑撥離間；發怒、偷竊、爭吵…保祿宗徒說，我們便會令天主的聖神憂鬱（弗4:25-31）。結果，我們自己也抑鬱了！

相反，不要少覷『喜樂』的重要性。假如信從耶穌基督的福音，沒有帶給你喜樂。信主之後，你的生活沒有變得更喜樂，沒有樂趣，沒有意義…這是一個危險的警號！當你覺得『信耶穌』與『不信耶穌』沒有任何分別時，何必每個主日參加彌撒領聖體呢？你的靈修開始鬆懈了…後果你是知道的。另一方面，喜樂的心情能支撐我們渡過人生中更沉重的痛苦；使我們不那麼拘謹，在祈禱時更容易進入『默觀』階段，享受那非筆墨所能形容的『神魂超拔』、『榮福直觀』；陶醉在天主的神聖愛情之中，好像喝醉了酒一樣！難怪在《舊約》，當「上主的神」降臨在先知們身上時，他們開始說『妙語』。在聽眾眼中，先知們看來好像喝醉了酒一樣！同樣在《新約》，當五旬節聖神降臨在120個門徒身上，為耶穌的復活作證時，群眾也誤會他們喝醉了酒（宗2:13），其實他們是陶醉在天主神聖的愛情中！原來傳福音，是可以好像享受醇醪美酒一樣舒暢的！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，基督君王在最後審判時說：「我渴了，你們給了我喝的」（瑪25:35），不是考驗我們有沒有幫助有困難的近人，而是邀請我們和近人一起參加聖神的『品酒大會』，在人世間彼此舉杯勸飲，彼此洗腳（若13:14）。因為我的渴望、你的渴望、全人類的渴望，只有天主聖神才能可以滿足，才能得到滋潤，才能得到完全的陶醉！亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：doubao.com

面對死亡 To Confront Death

基督受難主日，甲年
主題：面對死亡 To Confront Death

所謂『明知山有虎，偏向虎山行』，惟有勇者才做得到！稱呼天主子耶穌基督為勇者，祂當之無愧。當時候到了要完成天父差遣祂的使命時，祂沒有退避死亡的痛苦，毅然進入耶路撒冷。所謂『勝人者力，自勝者強』，當中，祂要克服不少人性的弱點，但祂成功了！作為祂的追隨者，我們有勇氣追隨到底嗎？

『原罪』給人的本性做成了不少傷害，以至人類不願脫離罪惡的奴役，有如染上毒癮一樣。在理性上，我們知道犯了罪，遠離了天主是有害的。可惜，罪惡帶給人類快感和刺激，令不少人沉迷下去，逗留在『安樂窩』/『溫柔鄉』之中，真個是『樂不思蜀』；或者帶給有些人自我膨脹，可以踐踏其他人的機會。罪惡感令有些人絕望，無地自容，不敢相信天主仍會愛慕他們，結果走上自殺的『不歸路』；有些人會濫用理性，把責任推到別人身上，或者設計各種制度來把罪惡合理化，吸引更多人加入犯罪的行列，分擔可能受到的罪罰！有些人未必是埋沒了良心，卻用盡各種方法，減輕犯罪所帶來的痛苦和代價：否認、忘記、壓抑、投射、轉移、認同、幻想…等等，只要不用面對痛苦就是。可惜，不肯面對痛苦並不表示痛苦不存在，痛苦會尋找出路，化身成其他病徵浮現！所以『鴕鳥政策』，實在愚不可及。

世上最大的痛苦莫過於生離死別，那些，世間可有甚麼力量能戰勝死亡呢？經上記載：「…愛情猛如死亡，妒愛頑如陰府…」（歌8:6）。原來人世間的愛情：夫婦之愛、父母子女之愛、兄弟姊妹之愛…與死亡的力量相比，分不出勝負。惟有上主對人類不對等的愛情，才足以戰勝死亡。這是《舊約》時代的信念和希望，惟有上主才有能力拯救人類脫離死亡（詠9:14; 116:8）。為了獲得拯救，人應履行正義（箴10:2），敬畏上主（14:27）。來到《新約》， 我們不了解擁有『兩性一位』的耶穌基督如何把天主性與人性圓美地結合；也不清楚祂的天主性如何『保護』著祂的人性，使祂「…在各方面與我們相似，受過試探的，只是沒有罪過」（希4:15）。但耶穌基督的人性是真實的，祂的感情也是真誠的，祂前往拉匝祿墳墓時流淚（若11:35），一點也不虛偽！因此，在面對自己的死亡時，祂必定經歷了、克服了不少痛點！且讓我們默想記載在今天福音的受難事跡中，一些反面例子如何逃避面對死亡，在對比之下，看耶穌基督如何擁抱死亡，把它轉化為有建設性的力量！

第一個的默想對象是伯多祿。他的師傅已在大司祭蓋法面前，被公議會判定該死（瑪26:66），在外面庭院坐著的他，已經意識到自己身陷險境。倘若被人揭發他與耶穌的關係，他也要成為階下囚，必死無疑。即使在最後晚餐時曾言之鑿鑿，與師傅同生共死（26:35），但為了逃避死亡的威脅，結果他選擇了三次否認自己的師傅（26:69-75）！可幸主耶穌為了教會的未來，為他祈求了（路22:32），所以伯多祿在脫險後，「就悽慘地哭起來了」（22:62）。雖然伯多祿不濟，但他為自己的罪過而哀慟，使他成為有福的人（瑪5:4）。另一方面，同樣不濟的猶達斯，在覺悟到自己原來只是一隻『用完即棄』的棋子之後，他對自己、對身邊的人、對天主都絕望了，便選擇了自殺的不歸路（27:4b-5），拒絕了天主對他的憐愛！反觀耶穌基督，當蓋法迫祂承認自己是天主子時，祂本可否認而脫身。但為了服從天主的旨意，耶穌基督沒有否認，沒有逃避死亡的痛苦，直認自己是天主子不諱（26:64），帶來了罪人的救贖，使天主與罪人得以和好（弗2:16）！

第二個是比拉多，他可以是一個心狠手辣的羅馬總督。例如，他曾把加里肋亞人的血，沾污他們的祭品（路13:1）。但猶太公議會掌握到比拉多的「死穴」/「痛點」，用這死穴來迫他處死耶穌（若19:12）。比拉多有責任維護羅馬帝國的公義，但他為了自保，不願與猶太公議會公開作對，便放棄了公義。他可以自己解脫想，這個耶穌既然不是羅馬公民，而且他的公議會也不保障他的權益，為甚麼我有責任保障他的權益呢？比拉多便當眾洗手，表示猶太人對耶穌的不公義，與他無關（瑪27:24）！當眾洗手便不用為耶穌的死負責，便可以洗脫管治的責任嗎？比拉多對猶太人的憤怒，毫不掩飾地表露出來：罪狀牌寫耶穌是『猶太人的君王』（27:37）。反觀耶穌基督沒有對釘祂的人發怒，反而為他們祈求寬恕（路23:34）。祂是天主的聖言（若1:1），天父藉著祂創造了天地萬物，最後更按天主的肖像創造了人類（創1:26）。耶穌並沒有逃避自己是創造者的責任，當撒殫日夜不斷地在天父前控告我們時（默12:10），祂不斷為我們罪人轉求（羅8:34）。祂也沒有逃避自己是救贖者的責任，在山園祈禱時，祂求天父免去這苦杯，但祂沒有堅持自己的主意（瑪26:39）。祂可以呼召十二軍以上的天使來保護祂不至被捕（26:53），但祂制止伯多祿運用暴力拒捕（26:51-54）；祂可以從十字架上下來（27:40; 42）…但祂沒有逃避救贖者的責任，一一拒絕了這些誘惑！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，我們還在『裝睡』嗎？我們對身邊貧困的、孤獨的、絕望的、漂泊的、失去自由的…等等的近人（25:40），視而不見，聽而不聞嗎？我們在他們身上看不見耶穌基督普世君王向我們招手嗎？倘若我們覺得這一切都是制度性、結構性的邪惡所做成，我們何德何能，拯救百姓於水深火熱呢？難道要發動革命，改朝換代不成？那麼，至少我們可以退一步為他們的不幸祈禱，為他們所受的痛苦哀慟！我們所相信、所寄望的上主是大能的天主，祂絕對不會令我們的眼淚白流，必定會撫恤被剝削者的慘痛。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：copilot.microsoft.com, gemini.google.com, grok.com

上主是否在我們中間？ Is Our Lord In Our Midst?

四旬期第三主日，甲年
主題：上主是否在我們中間？ Is Our Lord In Our Midst?

今天是『三八婦女節』，感激各位女士對人類大家庭的貢獻。小弟覺得用『撐起大半邊天』不足以讚賞各位的功勞，我比較喜歡《創世紀》的原文。「上主天主說：『人單獨不好，我要給他造個與他相稱的助手』」（創2:18）。在父系社會，中外的翻譯都有意無意地不忠於原著。其實『我要給他做個救命恩人』是更忠實的翻譯！所以在『三八婦女節』，我要感激婦女們不斷地保衛著男人，做他們的『救命恩人』！

中國文化素來講究務實，即使有『治國、平天下』的理想，也必先『修身、齊家』。作為仁人君子，欲成家立室，娶妻應『求淑女』！《詩經》的第一篇，相信大家不會陌生。所謂「窈窕淑女，君子好逑」就是這個意思。男人應該追求的理想配偶，不是美貌或富貴的黃花閨女，而是賢良淑德的婦女。當然，自己條件低的時候，惟有降低要求，退而求其次了。

《舊約》有三個「井旁相遇」的求偶故事，有著同一脈絡：一個從外地來身份高貴的男士，在井旁與一位少女相遇；少女款待他到家中與她的家人相識，最後那位高貴的男士迎娶了這位在井旁遇到的少女，大團圓結局。這三位身份高貴的男士分別是依撒格（由亞巴郎的僕人做代表）、雅各伯和梅瑟。聖經學者普遍認為這三位《舊約》人物都是耶穌基督的預像，在他們的生平事蹟中，可以找到天主子的身影。今天的福音記述了耶穌基督在井旁把自己啟示給一個撒瑪黎雅婦人，且讓我們默想這個在井旁「求偶」故事的真諦罷。

福音中的撒瑪黎雅婦人是一個「公開的罪人」，她遇人不淑，先後嫁給五個男人，最後和第六個男人同居（若4:18）。她在烈日當空的時間來打水（4:6-7），很明顯是在逃避別人的閒言閒語！雖然她明知自己有罪，但她沒有尋求幫助，沒有想辦法解決問題；卻選擇了逃避，這可能是在當時的社會制度下，她惟一可以做的事罷。她逃避面對自己、逃避面對別人、逃避面對天主！無論在理論上或者道義上，這位撒瑪黎雅婦人，絕對不會是正人君子的求偶對像。但身份高貴的天主子明白罪人的困難，祂偏偏主動向婦人伸出援手，「追求」她，有如《舊約》中三個「井旁相遇」求偶的故事一樣！為甚麼會這樣呢？保祿宗徒在今天的第二篇讀經寫得好，他說：「為義人死，是罕有的事；為善人，或許有敢死的；但是，基督在我們還是罪人的時候，就為我們死了，這證明了天主怎樣愛我們」（羅5:7-8）。在《舊約》，只要相信天主和遵守盟約的人，便是『天主的子民』。到了《新約》，相信耶穌基督和愛祂的團體─教會─便是『基督的新娘』！天主教非常重視婚姻是有原因的，婚姻不但是「七件聖事」之一，而且婚姻標誌著基督對教會的愛。保祿宗徒在論述婚姻的神聖時說：「你們作丈夫的，應該愛妻子，如同基督愛了教會，並為她捨棄了自己，以水洗，藉言語，來潔淨她，聖化她，好使她在自己面前呈現為一個光耀的教會，沒有瑕疵，沒有皺紋，或其他類似的缺陷；而使她成為聖潔和沒有污點的」（弗5:25-27）。耶穌基督深愛全人類：相信的、不信的；善良的、邪惡的；有用的、無用的…祂願意為所有人捨棄了自己，並且有耐性地教化他們、使他們成為聖潔。人類又如何回應呢？且看這位撒瑪黎雅婦人！

一開始她以種族和性別作盾牌，劃清界線（若4:9），有如現代的無神論者指摘信耶穌的人迷信、落伍和不科學一樣！耶穌針對她的需要，也是全人類的需要，就是對『水』，即『生命』的渴求。耶穌以『活水』吸引她：有了這『自來水』，她就不須要再來打水，不用再遇上她不想接觸的人…撒瑪黎雅婦人卻聰明地質疑耶穌誇大其辭，沒有能力給她『活水』（4:11），有如無信的人挑戰基督徒，『你們的天主在哪？叫祂出來，我便信祂。』不少信徒在遇上不如意事、挫折、長期病患或者世局動盪等等…時，也不知不覺地和無信的人一樣，懷疑天主對他們的愛，有如今天的第一篇讀經所說：「上主是否在我們中間？」（出17:7）他們希望天主立刻行神跡，解決他們的尷尬、困難和不便。在這方面，撒殫是成功的，『原罪』對人類本性的傷害實在大，以至信徒洗禮後，仍然戒除不了『舊我』的惡習！

不要以為領洗入教便解決了所有問題，且看那個撒瑪黎雅婦人，當耶穌透露了她的過去，令她信服之後，她又提出一個信仰上的問題（若4:19-20），為撒瑪黎雅人爭一口氣。我們何嘗不是一樣嗎？當我們以為自己是信耶穌的時候，我們也會為一些禮儀上的小節：『口領聖體更虔誠』；『離開聖堂不用再蘸聖水』；『唸耶穌基督時要鞠躬』；『已婚的執事不可束聖索象徵貞潔』等等…或神學上的爭論點：『耶穌真實臨在聖體內』；『聖母瑪利亞死後，靈魂肉身蒙召升天』；『信者得救，洗禮只不過是繁文縟節，不洗禮也可得救』；『聖經怎能沒有錯？科學證明了宇宙在一億三千萬年前的大爆炸誕生，所以用六日創造天地萬物是錯的』；『教宗主教也只不過是人，有甚麼重要？』等等…而喋喋不休地與人一決雌雄！贏了又如何呢？何必傷了共融呢？最後，福音大團圓結局，撒瑪黎雅婦人成了希望的傳承者，向她所逃避的同鄉傳福音（4:29-30）。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，向身邊的人傳福音無疑是困難的。他們會好像撒瑪黎雅婦人當初一樣，用不同的方法，逃避自己，逃避我們，甚至拒絕天主，把我們拒諸門外。他們可能會劃清界線、可能挑戰我們的信念、可能自暴自棄，變得不可接近，甚至傷害關心他們的人等等…憐憫他們罷，求天主也憐憫他們罷。要知道上主天主是言出必行的，祂曾藉先知說：「同樣，從我口中發出的言語，不能空空地回到我這裡來；反之，祂必實行我的旨意，完成我派遣祂的使命」（依55:11）！耶穌基督就是從上主天主口中發出的言語（若1:1; 14），祂給全人類展示了天父的慈悲，和怎樣履行天父的旨意。先知說：「趁上主可找到的時 ，你們應尋找祂；趁祂在近處的時候，你們應呼求祂」（55:6）！「上主在我們中間」（民11:10; 耶42:5），傳福音又有何難呢？
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com, copilot.microsoft.com, ideogram.ai

全心尋求天主，不是尋求條文 Seek With Whole Heart God, not Letters

常年期第六主日，甲年
主題：全心尋求天主，不是尋求條文 Seek With Whole Heart God, not Letters

人之為人，最重要是『心』。孔子有宏大的政治理想，希望王者能『治國平天下』。但首要的任務，仍然由「誠意正心」開始。耶穌基督教導我們『真福八端』，是心法，用來耕耘我們的『心田』，是建設天國的第一步。今天我們承接前兩個主日的學習，繼續默想『山中聖訓』的指示。

因為「人單獨不好」（創2:18)，必須群居，遂出現了『領導人』和『跟隨者』兩個階級。人與人互動的時候，容易發生爭執磨擦。為了公平地處理爭拗，領導人便審時度勢，制訂了法律。
法律可分為『法律條文』和『法律精神』兩部份。法律條文是「死」的，永遠落後科技和社會的進化。例如《十誡》中的「不可偷盜」（出20:15），它的精神在正面說，是尊重每個人的私有財產和運用這些財產的權利；在負面說，是不可有貪得無厭之心。當我在你不知不覺中，偷了你的財物，甚至當面強搶了它；我令你有所損失，我便犯了法，犯了罪。今天，我們在互聯網免費下載歌曲、電影和遊戲。作者或者公司，仍然擁有這些歌曲、電影和遊戲，沒有損失。那麼我們有犯法犯罪嗎？在沒有『知識產權』的觀念和『版權法』的情況下，我們沒有犯法！可是，我們採取行動滿足自己的貪得無厭之心，所以我們犯了罪！久而久之，我們的心也變壞了！

雖然法律不及禮樂，或者宗教信仰的移風易俗能力，但仍有其可取之處。因為法律阻嚇邪惡，保障百姓的安全；又倡議善良和公德心，尚有少許教化百姓的作用。法律清楚地把「生死善惡」放在百姓面前，給他們自由選擇（德15:18），所以百姓應該為自己的抉擇負責！加上歷代先知苦口婆心地訓誨，因此遵守天主在【舊約】所頒布的法律，亦足以獲得救恩〔生存〕了（詠119:17）。耶穌基督說得非常清楚：「你們不要以為我來是廢除法律和先知；我來不是為廢除，而是為成全」（瑪5:17）。可惜人性受到『原罪』的傷害，人心變得蠱惑。為了滿足一己的私慾偏情，不惜鑽法律漏洞，鋌而走險，以身試法！那麼，在不能強迫我們服從祂的大前題下，天主子怎樣成全法律和先知呢？耶穌基督開始祂的公開生活時，首先宣講『真福八端』，指出天國子民應有的生活態度；然後說明法律原本的精神。

在今天的福音選段，我們聽到耶穌基督運用祂的天主權威說：「你們一向聽給古人說…我卻對你們說…」（5:21-22, 27-28, 33-34）。在這裡，我們看到瑪竇宗徒把耶穌塑造成比梅瑟更偉大的導師！的確，法律是天主藉梅瑟頒布給世人，天主才是真正的立法者。現在，天主子耶穌基督在『山中聖訓』給我們明確地指出法律的精神。在那麼多的法律之中，先處理甚麼呢？就是與生死攸關的法律。試問法律對死了的人，還有甚麼意思呢？所以耶穌並不按《十誡》的次序演繹，而是首先指出「不可殺人」（5:21, 出20:13）的法律精神。我們把「不可殺人」的精神，一般理解為對無辜者生命的保障。所以在討論自衛、保護無辜、保衛國家的情況下，殺人和戰爭，在倫理上是容許的！教會亦立場鮮明地反對墮胎、安樂死等的『死亡文化』。同時，教會假設法院的裁判是公正嚴明的，所以教會傳統上支持政府執行死刑，並把這立場寫進《天主教要理》中。但二戰後，很多主教覺得死刑剝奪了犯人重新做人的機會。於是先教宗方濟各於2018年八月宣佈，正式宣布死刑違反了福音的教導，並從《天主教要理》刪除支持死刑的條文（CCC＃2267）。這是一個微小的進步，因為在天主眼中，人類無論用甚麼冠冕堂皇的理由互相殘殺，都是在摧毀『天主的肖像』，天主的傑作（創1:26）！我們有資格毀滅天主的傑作嗎？保祿宗徒說得好，復仇是天主的事（羅12:19, 申32:35）。那麼，死刑就交由天主執行罷！

其實對無辜者生命的保障，只是皮毛而已。今天耶穌基督直指問題的核心，就是『憤怒』！傷害別人生命的直接原因是『憤怒』。你阻檔著我獲得滿足我渴望得到的東西，我便遷怒於你，想盡辦法剷除你。加音由『憤怒』開始，繼而拒絕天主的忠告，終於殺死弟弟亞伯爾（創4:5-8）；達味由『色慾』開始，因為烏黎雅不願就範而遷怒於他，最後達味『借刀殺人』害死烏黎雅（撒下11:3-25），奪去了他的妻子。【聖經】沒有掩飾達味王的罪過，遵從耶穌「是就說是，非就說非」（瑪5:37）的要求！ 我們該怎樣處理『憤怒』的情緒呢？保祿教導我們憤怒時，要迅速處理，「不可讓太陽在我們含怒時西落」（弗4:26）。耶穌基督教導我們，從『修和』做起，與兄弟修和比祭獻天主還迫切（瑪5:23-24）。請大家留意耶穌怎樣說：「所以，你若在祭壇前，要獻你的禮物時，在那裡想起你的弟兄有甚麼怨你的事…」（5:23）。在這裡，耶穌基督並沒有在你和你的弟兄之間作判官，祂不判決誰對誰錯，誰善誰惡。只要你發覺你的弟兄怨恨你，即使真的錯不在你，作為基督徒，你必須主動修和！

首先，有可能是你懵然不知自己犯了錯，所以主動修和便彌補了你的過失，這是『中策』。
即使你真的沒有做錯任何事，只是一場誤會；或者有人搬弄是非中傷你，從中取利；又或者礙於身份尊嚴或其他不明原因，不能控制的原因，他怨恨你。你主動修和便有機會澄清事件的來龍去脈，讓你們彼此了解真相，消除怨恨。否則，誤會日益加深，令你的弟兄做出更惡毒的事，走上不歸之路，那就不堪設想了。在『山中聖訓』之後，耶穌在《瑪竇福音》曾這樣說：「如果你的弟兄得罪了你，去，要在你和他獨處的時候，規勸他；如果他聽從了你，你便賺得了你的兄弟」（18:15）。所以你主動修和，並體諒他的私隱，便有機會賺回你弟兄的靈魂，這是『上策』！
最後，我們不知道天主的慈悲有多大。將來在天堂上，我們可能會與不少怨恨我們的人；或者我們所怨恨的人，永遠相處。耶穌在『真福八端』說：「憐憫人的人是有福的，因為他們要受憐憫」（5:7）。如果我們憐憫我們的弟兄，寬恕他們的過失；我們便會獲得天父的憐憫寬恕，解除我們心中的執著，更自由自在地生活（6:12）。倘若在現世我們不開始修煉我們慈悲的心靈，操練我們的寬恕能力，將來在天上的生活，恐怕不會是享受，而是非常艱難痛苦了！因此，在現世主動修和，為永生作操練，是『上上之策』！

親愛的弟兄姊妹，其他誡命的精神，如此類推，有機會再一起默想罷。
天主保祐！

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2023年反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

天主的全副武裝 The Amour Of God

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿五日

「不是的，我告訴你們：如果你們不悔改，你們都要同樣喪亡。」
（路13:3; 5）

保祿宗徒告訴我們，作為基督徒是榮幸的。因為我們都是「天主所鍾愛，並蒙召為聖徒的人」（羅1:7; 格前1:2）。天主教有很多優良的教義，幫助教友修德成聖。例如領「修和聖事」有五個階段：省察、痛悔、定改、告明和補贖。當我們認真地經歷這五個階段時，我們在不知不覺之中，更親近了使我們成義、成聖的天主。在「省察」階段，我們可以按「聖教四規」、「十誡」、「七罪宗」和「真福八端」等等，檢討自己對天主、對人、對自己和對受造界做了虧欠的事；或應做未做的事。認識清楚這些「過失」，我們對自己更加了解；然後進入「痛悔」階段…等等。為我們這些凡夫俗子，即使未能高攀成聖，最低限度也不至於喪亡吧！

可惜，基督徒的人生，是一場曠日持久、與撒殫對決的靈性戰爭。而且這場戰爭，並沒有速戰速決的捷徑！我們會失守、會戰敗、會受傷，會飢寒交迫。所以我們必須穿上天主的全副武裝（弗6:13-18），投入這場戰鬥。但我們始終被「原罪」傷害過，以致「先天不足」。我們可能會因為重複地「告明」相同的罪，而覺得自己沒有進步，一無是處而灰心喪志，漸漸失去領修和聖事的動機，從而失去成聖的機會；我們可能介意自己在別人眼中的神聖形像和地位，為了保持這形像而疲於奔命，失去自由，最後覺得疲累不堪，萌生放棄成聖的念頭。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，可幸在這場戰爭裡，我們有很多志同道合的姊妹弟兄，在教會內互相扶持，並肩作戰，我們有主耶穌同行，並不孤獨。亞孟。
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

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“By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
(Luke 13:3; 5)

Paul tells us that it is glorious to be Christians because all of us are “the beloved of God … called to be holy” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2). There are a lot of good doctrines in Catholicism, facilitating the sanctification of the faithful. For example, there are 5 stages in the Sacrament of Reconciliation: viz. Examination of Conscience, Contrition, Confession, Absolution and Penance. When we go through these five stages genuinely, we get more intimate imperceptibly with the God who justifies and sanctifies. In the Examination stage, we may follow the Precepts of the Church, the Ten Commandments, the Seven Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes etc. to examine the wrongs we have done against God, others, ourselves and the Creation as well as obligations we have failed to perform. Knowing more clearly these commissions and omissions, we are able to know ourselves better. Then we enter the Contrition stage etc. For us mortals, even if we are not sanctified, at least we won’t perish!

Unfortunately, the Christian life is a long-drawn out spiritual battle against Satan. Moreover, there is no Blitzkrieg nor short-cuts to triumph. We will lose ground, be defeated, wounded, starved and frozen etc. Thus we must need to put on the armour of God to throw ourselves into this war (Ephesians 6:13-18). But we have been made deficient after sustaining the wounds of the Original Sin. After confessing the same sins repetitively for innumerable number of times and seeing no progress, we may lose heart and gradually the motivation to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation wanes, thus losing the opportunity of sanctification. We may care too much our saintly image and status in front of the others so much so that we consume a lot of resources for maintenance, thus losing our freedom. At last, we give up the goal of sanctification out of exhaustion.

Beloved brethren! Luckily we are not alone in this spiritual warfare. There are many comrades in the Church, supporting each other, fighting this battle hand in hand with our Lord Jesus. Amen.
God bless!

做個有策略的人 Be Strategic

常年期第廿三主日，丙年
主題：做個有策略的人 Be Strategic

連續幾個主日，耶穌基督教導我們拒絕「七罪宗」的誘惑，幫助我們回歸天父的家園。正如今天的第一篇讀經所說：「因為這必腐朽的肉身，重壓著靈魂；…世上的事，我們還難以測度；…那麼，天上的事誰還能探究？」（智9:15-16）人類受到「原罪」的傷害，在日常生活中經常不分輕重，本末倒置。我們變得短視，貪圖眼前的方便、舒適和利益；卻因小失大，放棄履行天主的旨意，賠上了永恆的生命。出於對世人的憐憫，天主子降生成人，苦口婆心地教導並陪伴我們走上回歸父家的道路。所謂「苦口良藥、忠言逆耳」，要接受主耶穌的教訓是充滿挑戰的，今天的福音就是一個很好的例子。耶穌經常用一些容易明白的比喻，來教導聽眾一些很難解釋的真理。那麼，讓我們先默想祂的比喻，然後嘗試掌握祂那些生硬的教訓。

在今天的福音選段中，主耶穌三次強調在甚麼情況下，人「不能做我的門徒」（路14:26, 27, 33）。並且講了兩個比喻，幫助我們明白當中艱深的教訓。表面上，兩個比喻都好像教導我們，先「籌算」清楚自己有沒有足夠的本錢或者實力，能否惱恨自己的家人，能否背著自己的十字架跟在耶穌後面等等…纔做耶穌的門徒。與其做一個虛有其表的基督徒，倒不如放棄領洗入教，免得貽笑大方！「免得他奠基以後，竟不能完工，所有看見的人都要譏誚他」（14:29）。這樣的解讀未嘗不可，但不是主耶穌的真正意思；否則，祂何必再說多一個比喻補充呢？那麼，兩國交戰的比喻補充了甚麼呢？

首先，耶穌為甚麼選擇說一個戰爭的比喻呢？戰爭是國家大家，不是我們這些平民百姓可以決定的。這個戰爭比喻，與我們有甚麼關係呢？主耶穌在倡議投降給羅馬帝國嗎？或者是倡議世界和平嗎？都不是！因為我們往往忽視了在我們身邊一直進行中的「屬靈戰爭」！作為基督徒，與撒殫的戰鬥是不能置身事外的。不但主耶穌運用戰爭的圖像，連聖保祿宗徒也在他的書信中，描繪了「基督徒全副武裝」的圖像（弗6:11-18）。

在現實世界裡，和平是罕有的，而受苦的多是黎民百姓！所以老子說：「兵者不祥之器，…不得已而用之」（道德經#31）。侵略是不道德的，自衛是應該的。比喻中的第一個國王，是為了保家衛國，不得已而戰。但戰爭的勝負絕非取決於先進的軍備；或者軍隊人數的多寡。古今中外就有不少以少勝多；或者出奇制勝的戰例。因此要「籌算」的不單是本錢和實力那麼簡單，還有「時機」是否成熟！這就是中國文化所說的「天時、地利、人和」，「時機」排第一位！倘若入侵者長途跋涉而來，補給線就是他們的致命傷；加上軍隊疲累，成了強弩之末，殺傷力減弱。倘若我軍據險死守一段時間，以一萬守兵擊敗兩萬入侵者，又有何難！當然，倘若我軍是臨時徵召的烏合之眾，士氣低落；再加上彈盡糧絕；其他國家又拒絕派出援兵…處於這樣惡劣環境之下，「議和」是當前的最佳戰略。請注意，議和不等於投降，而是「緩兵之計」。議和後經過「十年生聚、十年教訓」，我們必定有捲土重來的一天！所以耶穌基督講兩個比喻，教訓我們須要「籌算」，但不是一次過的籌算，而是不斷地考量時機的因素。況且，我們與撒殫的戰鬥，亦不是一仗定生死的！

讓執事我分享自己的聖召經歷，說明「時機」這個因素。香港教區在1997年7月祝聖了第一批兩位終身執事，如今已返回天家，享受天主的賞報了。其中一位是曾繁興執事，當年他奉派前往屯門贖世主堂服務。曾執事在2000年向堂區適合做終身執事的男士，介紹終執職務的內容及要求。那時我也曾考慮，豈料那一年，天主賜給我夫婦倆第四個孩子。於是我以為天主不是召叫我做終身執事，而是做一個稱職的父親。九年後，機緣巧合遇上了教區的陳志明神父，重燃起這份聖召的心火！的確，時機成熟了。六年之後，我成為香港教區第十一屆領職的終身執事。願天主永受讚美，願天主繼續領導！

明白了「籌算」的深層意義之後，讓我們反省那些生硬的，「惱恨自己家人」的教訓。誠然，耶穌基督曾在常年期第二十主日提及過，家庭成員會因為接受或者拒絕祂的福音而引起分裂：父親反對兒子，兒子反對父親…（路12:53）。由「分裂」發展到「惱恨」，不是時間的問題，而是心中有多少親情和多少虔敬的問題。按【舊約】記載，因為利益的原故，兄弟姊妹之間經常有惱恨的情況存在。例如：加音出於嫉妒和忿怒而殺了弟弟亞伯爾、雅各伯騙了厄撒烏的長子名份和祝福、若瑟因父親的偏心而被其他的兄弟賣往埃及；梅瑟的姊姊米黎盎公開反對梅瑟等等。
但子女對父親的惱恨和咒罵，只限於因為父親的不虔敬所招來的蒙羞受辱纔有（德41:10）。【舊約】絕少提及父親惱恨兒子，相反的例子卻有很多。例如：富可敵國的約伯，恐怕子女們犯了罪，心中詛咒了天主，便清早起來照子女的數目〔總共10個〕向天主獻上全燔祭品（約1:5）；達味心愛的兒子阿貝沙隆發動政變，達味不願牽連耶路撒冷的居民，便帶領全家徒步出走，只留下十個嬪妃看守王宮（撒下15:16）。有讒臣建議阿貝沙隆親近達味留下的嬪妃，以為可以惹下達味的仇恨，令支持政變的人更加堅強（16:20）。但達味並沒有惱恨阿貝沙隆，並且在反攻時吩咐軍人對阿貝沙隆手下留情（18:5）！原來【舊約】早已啟示了天父對世人的憐愛，父親是不會惱恨自己的子女！

「十誡」教導我們「孝敬父母」（出20:12; 申5:16）；而主耶穌來不是為廢除法律，而是來成全它（瑪5:17）。三位一體的天主是不會自相矛盾的，所以福音所說的「不惱恨父母家人，不能成為祂的門徒」，必定另有所指。
首先，從兩個有關「籌算」的比喻中，我們學習了在作出抉擇時必須考量時機的因素。即是說，倘若父母家人拒絕福音，是他們領受福音的時機尚未成熟，不應強迫他們接受。但當他們阻止我們領受福音、令我們蒙羞受辱、障礙我們獲得永生的時候，我們自然會惱恨他們的不虔敬，並作出明智的抉擇！

其次，當主耶穌說「我的門徒」一詞時，也許是指蒙召成為教會聖職人員的人而說。
在祂復活後，基督花了40天的時間顯現給曾跟隨祂的人，其中一次顯現給500多人（格前15:6），聚集他們成為耶路撒冷初期教會的班底。在祂升天後，只有120人留下（宗1:15）。他們可以說是經過考驗的、真實的「我的門徒」。在信仰死而復活的耶穌基督的基礎上，他們協助十二宗徒建設這個兀立了二千多年而仍未倒下的天主教會！對於這些教會公務員，主耶穌自然會要求高一些，對嗎？

親愛的兄弟姊妹，對天主子的教導，我們不應該有所選擇。對於可以做的、容易做的和順耳的就實行；對於逆耳的就置諸不理。這是不對的。同時，我們不要因主耶穌生硬的教訓而灰心喪志，因為是時機未成熟，我們的經驗未達標。保持謙虛、忍耐和望德吧！我們知道天父喜歡把天國賞賜給求祂的人（路12:32），總有一天我們可以做得到！讓我們呼求天主聖神，加強我們的望德，成為一個有策略的、知機的希望朝聖者。以我們的愛德善行，帶給世人信心和希望，以光榮天主聖父（瑪5:16）。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2019年反省
圖片鳴謝：ideogram.ai

平安是源源不絕的 Peace Is Inexhaustible

【福傳系列（三）】
平安是源源不絕的（瑪10:7-14）

相信大家對今天的福音不會感到陌生，讓我們一起默想今天觸動了我的一句：「倘若這一家是堪當的，你們的平安就必降臨到這一家；倘若是不堪當的，你們的平安仍歸於你們」（瑪10:13）。

首先，不要理會「堪當」是甚麼意思，因為這是天主的標準，不是人的標準。我們認為「不堪當」的，可能天主審視他們的良心時，判斷他們是「堪當」的，也未可知。基督不曾告誡過我們說：「你們不要判斷人，免得你們受判斷」（7:1）嗎？

「平安」則不同，因為它是天主賞賜給信徒的，所以我們應該清楚理解基督所說的「平安」是甚麼意思。在《瑪竇福音》，「平安」出現在3節之中，是指世上的「和平」（10:34）或者是指心中的「平安」（10:13; 28:9）。有趣的是，祇有《路加福音》和《若望福音》記載復活的主顯現給宗徒 時，祝福他們平安。瑪竇和馬爾谷沒有記載這份祝福，反而記載耶穌怪責他們無信和心硬！

那麼，這份心中的「平安」是甚麼意思呢？若望宗徒保存了這個啟示，主在最後晚餐時說：「我把平安留給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們：我所賜的給你們的，不像世界所賜的一樣。你們心裡不要煩亂，也不要膽怯」（若14:27）。世界所賜的平安、國際間所能維持的和平，是依賴大殺傷力的武器來達到的，所以是矛盾和不穩定的。真正的平安來自耶穌基督，有了它，我們的心不會煩亂，面對失敗、迫害和死亡時也不會膽怯。不但問心無愧，更能從容就義，以微笑迎接死亡！ 能夠獲得這種「平安」，表示這個人、這個家庭是天父認為「堪當」的，可以或者已經與天父和好如初，做了祂的子民、祂的義子（羅8:15; 迦4:5; 弗1:5）。

親愛的讀者，不要以為「平安」是有限的，即使「我們的平安降臨到這一家」，我們的平安不但沒有減少了，反而增多了。因為當我們看見有人接受福音，信主而獲得永生的時候，我們必定心滿意足，感謝讚頌天父。當人拒絕福音的時候，我們心安理得，沒有半點損失。我們要為他們的靈性生命祈禱，願天父對他們慈悲。這樣，我們的心裡，仍然擁有平安。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：creator.nightcafe.studio

[Evangelization Series III]
Peace Is Inexhaustible (Matthew 10:7-14)

I trust all of us are familiar with the gospel passage today. So let us meditate on a particular verse that touches me, “If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you” (Matthew 10:13).

Firstly, let us put aside the meaning of “worthy” because it is God’s standard, not ours. What is “not worthy” for us may probably be “worthy” in God’s eye when He judges their consciences. Hasn’t Jesus taught us, “Stop judging, that you may not be judged” (7:1)?

“Peace” is different because God gives it to the disciples. Thus we should understand clearly what Jesus means by “peace”. In the gospel of Matthew, “peace” appears in 3 verses, meaning “peace” on earth (10:34) or in our hearts (10:13, 28:9). It is interesting to observe that only the gospels of Luke and John mention how the Lord greeted the Apostles peace when He appeared to them after resurrection. But Matthew and Mark do not mention this blessing. Rather they mention how Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart!

Then, what does this “peace” in our hearts mean? John the Evangelist leaves us this revelation. In the Last Supper, the Lord says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). The peace the world gives and keeps internationally relies on weapons of mass destruction. Thus it is contradictory and unstable. True peace comes from Jesus Christ and with it, our hearts will not be troubled. Confronted with failures, persecutions and death etc., we will not be afraid. Not only are our conscience clean, but we are also calm to lay down our lives to bear witness to the Truth and smile to the face of death! Receiving this “peace” shows that the Father deems this person, this house worthy; has reconciled with them and they have become His people and His adopted children (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5).

Beloved brethren. Do not think that “peace” is in limited supply. Even if “our peace comes upon this house”, not only is our peace not diminished, but is instead increased. It is because when we see people accept the gospel, believe in the Lord and attain eternal life, our hearts will be satisfied. We shall thank and praise the Father. When people reject the gospel, our hearts remain in peace and we lose nothing. Let us pray for their spiritual lives. May the Father have mercy on them. Then, our hearts still possess a full share of peace. Amen.
God bless!

耐心等候聖神 Wait Patiently for the Holy Spirit

主升天節，丙年
主題：耐心等候聖神 Wait Patiently for the Holy Spirit

耶穌基督在猶太人的逾越節前一個星期，榮進耶路撒冷。當時群眾滿懷期望，這位「奉上主之名而來應受讚頌」（詠118:26）的達味之子默西亞，會揭竿起義。祇等他一聲號令，群眾便衝擊總督府，一舉推翻羅馬帝國的殖民統治，復興以色列國。豈料耶穌在逾越節被出賣，被釘死在十字架上。群眾的希望落空了，沮喪地離開耶路撒冷。基督復活後，在世上逗留了40天，斷斷續續地顯現給宗徒及門徒，一共聚集了大約120人（宗1:15），由他們開始衍生千秋萬世的「天主之國」、「新天新地」、「新聖城耶路撒冷」。為甚麼直到今天，「天國」仍未來臨呢？我們欠缺了甚麼？

人類所缺乏的，不是地球上的天然資源，不是財富權勢，而是「耐性」！從今天的第一篇讀經，我們看到在耶穌準備升天時，門徒問祂說：「主，是此時要給以色列復興國家嗎？」（1:6）二千年前，門徒沒有耐性。時至今日，雖然事實告訴我們，建設天國不是一年半載的事，而是必須經歷長遠的歲月，纔能實現。但我們仍然缺乏耐性，期望天主按我們的意願，立刻消滅所有邪惡的人，實現天國。除非你對世事不聞不問，不看電視、不聽電台、不用手機…否則我們所接收的資訊，不斷地挑戰我們的耐性和望德。以在加薩持續了六百多日的戰鬥為例，取決你習慣觀看甚麼大眾傳媒，有誰不想天主立刻消滅哈瑪斯，或者解散以色列軍隊呢？有誰不想天主推翻普京，或者使特朗普下台…？

可是，這些一廂情願的希望，是天主的旨意嗎？我們忘記了天主「不是死人的，而是活人的天主」（瑪22:32）；祂不喜歡任何人喪亡〔包括義人和罪人〕，而是希望他們悔改，回心轉意，得到生命（則18:32）。天主非常有耐性，「千年猶如一日」（詠90:4）。雖然我們是按天主的肖像所造（創1:26），理應也是有耐性的。可惜我們受過「原罪」的污染，中毒太深，即使「聖洗聖事」免除了原罪和本罪的罪和罰，但我們仍未完全恢復天主般的耐性，於是對別人、對團體，仍然容易失望，輕易放棄！難怪剛去世的教宗方濟各，留給我們一份意義深長的薦行禮物，訂立2025年為「望德禧年」，呼籲我們做「希望的朝聖者」，在艱難的歲月中，仍能堅忍；對天主的承諾，仍滿懷希望，並且帶給其他人希望。

我們有能力帶給別人希望嗎？有！不過，我們忘記了自己是「天主義子」（羅8:15; 迦4:5; 弗1:5）；忘記了天父喜歡把天國賜給我們（路12:32）。在今天的第二篇讀經，保祿宗徒嘗試描述作為「基督奧體」成員的光榮之處，來勉勵我們。教會是「基督的奧體」，我們是這奧體的成員，就是基督的肢體了。基督的光榮不能用今世的任何事物可以比擬，保祿宗徒惟有採用超性的靈體來襯托基督的光榮。這光榮「超乎一切率領者、掌權者 、異能者、宰制者，以及一切現世及來世的可稱的名號以上」（弗1:21）！為了方便記憶，我們把「九品天神」分為三個梯隊，由下而上是：天使、總領天使和率領者，他們經常與人類接觸，最接近我們，我們能認識多一點的；中間是掌權者、異能者和宰制者；最接近天主的就是上座者、革魯賓和色辣芬。基督的光榮固然超越九品天神之上，作為基督的肢體，我們將來所得到的光榮，是無可限量的。保祿宗徒甚至對格林多教友說：「你們不知道我們連天使都要審判嗎？」（格前6:3a），《伯多祿後書》和《猶達書》也有類似的記載，所以是可信的。而「審判」，當然是指在末日的「公審判」了。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，倘若我們沒有足夠的「望德」，堅忍到底，到末日時，我們成了受審判的階下囚，我們又怎能審判「犯罪的天使」（伯後2:4）呢？但我們真的有能力嗎？有！讓我們再讀一次今天福音的金句：「至於你們，你們應當留在這城中〔即耶路撒冷〕，直到佩戴上自高天而來的能力」（路24:49b）。這「自高天而來的能力」是甚麼？就是天主聖神。主耶穌升天後十日，即猶太人的五旬節，聖神降臨在聖母陪伴著祈禱的120個信徒身上。他們不再害怕猶太公議會的逮捕，公開地分別說世界各地的不同語言，向來到耶路撒冷朝聖，說不同語言的人，宣講復活永生的基督，而不是宣講那推翻羅馬政權的默西亞、普京、特朗普、內塔尼亞胡！正如耶穌基督所說的：「說話的不是你們，而是你們父的聖神在你們內說話」（瑪10:20）。聖神就是耶穌所應許的「自高天而來的能力」，祂經常與我們同在，鼓舞我們的心靈，我們何愁沒有能力把希望傳遞給失望、絕望的人呢？
天主保祐！

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2022年反省
圖片鳴謝：ideogram.ai

To Speak New Languages 說新語言

Mission Sunday, Year B
Theme: To Speak New Languages 說新語言

The gospel passage today is taken from the second ending of the gospel according to Mark. The first one ends with the pious women “fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). How can a gospel, which is supposed to be a good news, end in such a negative manner? Therefore, we have a more positive and longer ending that hints at Jesus’ apparitions mentioned in the other gospels, namely the apparition to Mary Magdalene and the two disciples returning to Emmaus and of course it includes Jesus’ ascension.

The passage today reports how Jesus appeared to the Eleven at dinnertime (16:14) and commissioned them to proclaim the good news. It must have been the first Easter evening when Matthias was not yet chosen from a bigger circle to replace Judas (Acts 1:26). The narrative of this apparition in Mark is significant in highlighting the importance of the “college” of Apostles in the Church. Matthew and Mark clearly state that Jesus appeared to the Eleven while narratives in the other two gospels suggest the presence of other disciples (Luke 24:33-36; John 20:19-29). When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he says, “You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone” (Ephesians 2:19b-20). Paul pointed out an important truth, namely that apostles are the foundation of the House of God, i.e. the Church. Believers in general are the members of this House of God. What these people believe are handed down from the Apostles who for about three years had lived with and to learn from Jesus Christ who would send them forth to preach the good news (Mark 3:14). The Eleven/Twelve would bear witness and to hand down their first-hand experience to believers. That is also what nowadays the congregation profess weekly on Sundays when they recite “I believe in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church”! Not only is Pope Francis the 265^th successor to St. Peter, but all Catholic bishops are also consecrated by bishops whose consecration line goes all they way back to the Apostles!

Another point of interest in the narration of the Great Commission of Jesus is the extensive target of evangelization. Unlike the other Synoptic Evangelists, Mark wrote, “He [Jesus] said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature’” (16:15). Not only should we proclaim the good news to all nations/peoples all over the whole world, but we should also proclaim the gospel to every creature, to cats, crocodiles, serpents, wolves, trees, mountains, waterfalls and rivers as well as the whole Creation. We don’t have the King Solomon’s Ring. How do we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus to birds and COVID virus? If we are not able to proclaim the good news to them, how can they believe? Mark continues, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (16:16). Then all animals would be condemned! In fact, how do we know and decide/judge that an animal believes or not? They do not possess souls like human. Do they need salvation? But Paul shares the same sentiment with Mark when he wrote, “For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility … in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21). From a mega perspective, the Creation is currently suffering from different types of pollutions that are caused by human greed and irresponsibility. Therefore, it is fair to describe the situation as a “slavery to corruption”. When Pope Francis issues papal documents, unlike his predecessors, he seldom issues an encyclical which has the highest binding authority in the Catholic Church. He usually issues apostolic exhortations and motu proprios which are less binding in the Church. Of his eleven years of pontificate so far, Pope Francis has only issued two encyclicals: Laudato si in 2015 which deals with the care for our planet; and Fratelli tutti in 2020 on brotherhood and social friendship in the post-COVID era. All humanity are related and we owe our Mother Nature an apology! Mark’s narration provides a broader vision for us.

Some people feel offended to read that “whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16b). Such a language contradicts what today’s second reading expresses. Paul writes to Timothy and says, “[God our saviour] wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God is merciful no matter how sinister human beings can be. In the Old Testament, God had already spoken through the prophets His merciful intention, “For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the LORD God. Turn back and live” (Ezekiel 18:32).
Alas! People are selective in their hearing and enjoy quoting texts out of context. Perhaps John’s famous proof-text is clearer in this topic but again it is usually NOT quoted in full. John writes, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17). Therefore, when Jesus says in Mark that whoever does not believe will be condemned, the person is not condemned by God. If not by God, then by whom? The person himself! The person has abused the freedom which God gives and chooses NOT to believe and follow/obey, thus cutting himself off from the True Vine (10:5), from the Tree of Life (Genesis 2:9), from the life of God. During the Last Supper, John proclaims that He is the Way, and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). But modern people prefer fashionable trends to Jesus Christ, the Truth and His gospel. God cannot contradict Himself. He is free and therefore He respects the freedom of His images and will not impose salvation on those who choose NOT to believe. In short, God would not stop sinners from committing sins. In his writing against disordered homosexuality, Paul writes vividly, “God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies” (Romans 1:24). Sinners need to take part in their own salvation and cannot just fold their hands to wait passively for God’s deliverance. Jesus’ advice is clear and simple, “This is the time of fulfilment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). God has done all the preparations. It is up to us to take the first step: to repent and to believe in Jesus Christ.

The gospel text today contains many threads of thoughts, one of which rings particularly loudly in my ears. “These signs will accompany those who believe: …, they will speak new languages” (16:17). The ability/fluency to speak new languages is essential for missionaries to proclaim the good news to peoples of a different tongue. Ordinary Catholics believe but we are not missionaries preaching overseas. What new languages are we able to speak here locally? In fact, all believers are the People of God, and therefore all are missionaries whether they travel overseas or not because evangelization is not the privilege of the clergy nor of the consecrated religious. The new languages we speak are the language of love and care.
First of all, we do not gossip and spread rumours to hurt or to harm others. This is the base line and minimum requirement of being a Catholic: to speak truth. Secondly, we show care and concern for the good of the people in need. Indeed, each person is different. What consoles one may not be helpful to another. Here, attentive listening is essential. We need to cater our language and our tone appropriately for the needs of our neighbour. Indeed, we are speaking a new language of love to each of the different people we meet!

Beloved brethren! Pray that the merciful God infuses us with the fire of the Holy Spirit to heal the wounds of the Creation. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Do You Belong To Christ 你屬於基督嗎？

Twenty-Sixth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Do You Belong To Christ 你屬於基督嗎？

In historical legends, whether Chinese or Biblical, we hear of heroes who fell in the end because they took everything on their shoulders and failed to delegate. As the liberator of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, Moses made the same mistake before they reached Mount Sinai. Moses’ father-in-law, the Midian priest Jethro, came to congratulate him for his success in liberating the Hebrew slaves from Egypt but saw something wrong with the administrative skills of his son-in-law. “The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, while they stood around him from morning until evening” (Numbers 18:13). Jethro asked him what was going on and Moses replied, “The people come to me to consult God. Whenever they have a disagreement, they come to me to have me settle the matter between them and make known to them God’s statues and instructions” (18:15b-16). Moses’ action was both commendable and legitimate. But Jethro was quick to point out his flaw. “What you are doing is not wise. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. The task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone” (18:17-18). Moses was dealing with six hundred thousand people single-handedly! He was not any five-star General of the Army, nor the six hundred thousand Israelites he was leading disciplined soldiers. The Hebrew slaves had been grumbling and complaining all along that the journey was too hazardous, there was no water, no food and that they preferred returning and dying in Egypt etc. Jethro was perfectly correct in his assessment of the situation. It was unwise for Moses to shoulder everything on his shoulders alone because of his zeal for teaching the Israelites God’s statues and instructions. No matter how commendable his zeal was, it didn’t do anybody good! “You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you” is a motto which every leader, even political leaders, should remember!

Luckily Moses accepted Jethro’s proposal. Otherwise, the Exodus to the Promised Land would have collapsed even before it began. The Israelites had not yet established the Sinai Covenant and received the Ten Commandments, not to mention heading towards the Promised Land. Jethro was truly a seasoned priest. He was able to retain what Moses had all along been doing, probably wishing to save Moses of his face. “Act as the people’s representative before God, and bring their disputes to God. Enlighten them in regard to the statutes and instructions, showing them how they are to conduct themselves and what they are to do” (18:20). His trick was to shift Moses’ focus a little bit in order to obtain the most optimal results. “But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them over the people as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. Let these render decisions for the people in all routine cases. Every important case they should refer to you, but every lesser case they can settle themselves. Lighten your burden by letting them bear it with you” (18:21-22). His prudence was truly admirable. Notice that Jethro even did have not to outline which cases were routine and lesser and which cases were important! The commanders would know! Simply put. Cases that commanders of tens failed to pacify the people must be “important” enough to pass up to commanders of fifties and so on! After four levels of commanders all failed to pacify the people, such cases must be seriously important. Such a filtering system must have been capable of removing many trivial cases. Prove me wrong! Leaders! You are no God. Delegate or you will be deleted!

With this background knowledge, we may understand better what Moses meant in the first reading today. Once more, definitely in a latter occasion, the commanders mentioned above were unable to share Moses’ burden adequately enough. This time, God intervened. He instructed Moses to choose 70 elders to help governing the people. Then God gave them the Holy Spirit to discharge their duties. For some unknown reasons, two of the chosen elders, Eldad and Kedad, did not show up in the tent but God still gave them the Holy Spirit. The two elders were able to prophesize like the other 68 (Numbers 11:26). Joshua was loyal to Moses and requested Moses to stop them. But Moses says, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the people of the LORD were prophets! If only the LORD would bestow His spirit on them!” (11:29) If all the people of the LORD had been prophets, Moses would have been relieved from the burden of deciding hundreds of thousands of disputes each day and the people would not have been waiting in a long queue from morning till evening to have their cases heard.

Take a step back and smell. Something must have been wrong in the commander filtering system described above so that God had to intervene and replaced it with the elder system. What could have gone wrong? I speculate that no institutional structure is able to control human weaknesses such as favouritism. Didn’t Isaac prefer Esau because he was fond of game but Rebekah preferred Jacob (Genesis 25:28)? Didn’t King David favoured one of his sons, Absalom who killed Amnon his brother in revenge for raping Tamar, Absalom’s sister (2 Samuel 13:39)? How can justice prevail whenever there is favouritism? Obviously, being capable, God-fearing, trustworthy and hating dishonest gains would not be able to prevent people from loving and thus showing favour to their loved ones! The elder system was better because the LORD took some of the spirit that was on Moses to bestow it on the seventy elders (Numbers 11:25). It was better because the LORD participated more in governing the people.

The gospel reading shows a similar jealousy on the part of the apostles against people outside their circle. Like Joshua, John requested Jesus to stop a person who did not follow them from driving out demons in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:39). Of course, both of them were loyal to their masters respectively. However, one’s loyalty does not necessarily breed jealousy unless his loyalty is under threat! In tonight’s homily, Fr. Albert Liu, OP brought to our attention that previously, a man complained against the apostles’ failure to exorcize a deaf and dumb evil spirit from his son (9:17-18). John’s request made him guilty of trying to monopolize salvation. Didn’t the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church popularly believe that “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus”? Even today, there are recently voices accusing Pope Francis of saying that “Jesus was unimportant” during his papal visits to four Asian countries in which Catholics are a minority! Such accusation against Pope Francis is unnecessary because who does not belong to Christ? To quote St. Paul, “As a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:10); “The blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). Thus, the Church is Catholic, meaning she is inclusive and rejects nobody!

Beloved brethren! What is the most memorable verse for you in the gospel reading today? I choose, “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41). As Catholics, surely we belong to Christ. Therefore, we are Christ’s “reward-carriers”. Wherever we go, we are providing opportunities for the people we encounter to receive Christ’s reward. Pray that we are peacemakers to help people receive Christ’s reward of peace. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Eternal Marriage In Yahweh 在上主內的永恆婚姻

Twenty-First Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Eternal Marriage In Yahweh 在上主內的永恆婚姻

We make a lot of choices throughout our life. Some choices are insignificant but others are fundamental whose effects are prolonged and probably permanent. For example, between our career and our spouse, as a Catholic, marital choices are more fundamental than career choices. We may change jobs relatively frequently according to the market fluctuations, but our marriages terminate only at death, no matter how rough our marital life has gone through. When we take eternal life into consideration, marriages on earth might continue forever and ever in eternity. Can we afford to choose casually? On the other hand, martyrs choose sacrificing their lives without reservation for their convictions, such as treasure hunting, defending doctrines, overthrowing tyrants and fighting for independence etc. These are examples of fundamental choices in which our lives are at stake. Considered in this light, do you agree that marriage is also a form of martyrdom, or vice versa?

Reflecting on the events in the Old Testament, we see that it took the Israelites a long time to choose worshiping Yahweh to the exclusion of other gods. They have never been a powerful kingdom nor an empire from which neighbouring countries would want to imitate. In order to live among resourceful and powerful neighbour, they were not eager to insist on their religious customs. In the first reading today, we may be able to take a glimpse of what religious life was like by the time they entered and occupied the Promised Land. In his parting speech, Joshua says, “If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). In other words, the Israelites began their existence in Mesopotamia [“beyond the River”], a polytheistic land, then settled in Egypt, another piece of polytheistic land for more than 400 years to breed and multiply and lastly settled in Canaan [“Amorites”], the Promised Land, yet another piece of polytheistic land. After conquering and dividing the Promised Land, Joshua made it clear his fundamental choice. He, his household and their future generations would serve only one God, Yahweh. Joshua’s choice was progressive because polytheism is conducive to the division of a community whereas, monotheism advocates solidarity!

We may think of the forty-year Exodus as a journey from shedding polytheism to embracing monotheism. Through His agents Moses and Aaron, Yahweh worked Ten Plagues to wreak havoc on the economy of Egypt and lastly to destroy the Egyptian military machine in the Red Sea. The Hebrew slaves were eye-witnesses to the power of Yahweh. However, they had previously spent more than four centuries in this polytheistic land. It was unrealistic to demand them to give polytheism up overnight. The Golden Calf incident illustrates the situation clearly. Seeing that Moses had been missing for too long on Mount Sinai, they resorted to building a Golden Calf to lead them back to Egypt, the house of slavery (Exodus 32:1). With the intercession of Moses, Yahweh did not destroy the Hebrew slaves immediately. They would wander in the wilderness for forty years to die out instead. Thus, those who conquered and settled in the Promised Land were second generation liberated Hebrew slaves to whom Joshua was speaking today. How did they answer Joshua? They say, “It was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our ancestors up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He performed those great signs before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed” (Joshua 24:17). The “our ancestors” refers to the Hebrew slaves who grew up in Egypt and subsequently liberated by Moses.

So what other miracles did this second generation liberated Hebrew slaves see? Moses struck the rock in Horeb to obtain water for the people to drink for the first time (Exodus 17:6). After establishing the Covenant with Yahweh on Mount Sinai and the Golden Calf incident, they continued their wandering until they reached Kadesh. People again complained about the lack of water supply. There, Moses struck the rock to obtain water for the second time (Numbers 20:11). Some first generation liberated Hebrew slaves had died for sure. Entering Canaan were second generation liberated Hebrew slaves. They saw Joshua separate the water of River Jordan for them to cross, like what Moses had done to the Red Sea (Joshua 3:14-17). They saw how the wall of Jericho collapse at their shout (6:20) and they butchered the city, how the sun and the moon obeyed Joshua’s order to stop moving until the Israelites defeated the Amorites (10:12-13). St. Paul was right when he comments, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). And yet, the Israelites remained “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears” (Acts 7:51) in the future generations! Therefore, miracles do not breed faith! Rather, it should be the other way around.

In patriarchal societies, marriage has become a contract rather than a covenant for life [“become one body” (Genesis 2:24)]. Women, whether they were wives or daughters, were men’s possession. Take a look at the Ten Commandments. “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour” (Exodus 20:17). Thus wives and daughters were things among houses, slaves, oxen or donkeys that belonged to men, in the role of husbands or fathers! If you breach a contract, pay the compensation to settle the dispute! When people treat marriage as a contract, they will not treat it seriously as long as they are able to pay compensation. No wonder nowadays, people have less faith in marriage and in God. In the eyes of non-believers, Christians take marriage too seriously! Yes, we do because the Church is the Spouse of Christ (Ephesians 5:32)! Christian marriages reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church! God might not be dead but who cares when God is no longer relevant in modern societies. Since the Age of Enlightenment, people trust science and technology more than God. The ego of individuals has elated so much that scientists have no restrain to play God. They start editing human genes to make babies immunized against HIV. If the trend continues, wealthy people would rule the world.

Modern people dislike the word “subordination” because they opine that subordination takes away one’s dignity. They protest against Paul’s teaching on the relationship between husbands and wives. It is not fair to Paul because at the beginning, he has already stated clearly, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Modern people are offended by the next verse. “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord” (5:22) and further down, Paul did not write anything near “Husband should be subordinate to their wives as to the Queen” because no such image existed in patriarchal societies! To wrap up his discourse, Paul could only write in the end, “Each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband” (5:33). In the ears of modern people, “Love” and “Respect” do not command equal intensity. Therefore, Paul’s teaching is unfair! Alas! Modern people forget that in ancient times, people were willing to lay down their lives for their loved ones and to die, out of respect/loyalty of their kings! Subordination is only a mild form of martyrdom. If you think that subordination on earth deprives you of your dignity, think higher and longer! It is true that marital life on earth is too short, at most a century! But in eternity, the merciful Lord will definitely have sufficient time to sanctify them “in splendour, without spot or wrinkle … holy and without blemish” (5:27). Will you feel less offended to subordinate to a dignitary made perfect by the Lord beyond imagination?

Beloved brethren! You don’t have to agree with my speculation. The more important thing in life is your fundamental choice. Do you accept the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? If you do, probably you will receive wilder revelations beyond your imagination from the merciful Lord than my fantasies. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Remain Poor To Do God’s Will 貧窮行主旨

Nineteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Remain Poor To Do God’s Will 貧窮行主旨

Something must have happened to the confident Elijah to make him flee for his life. When he emerged on stage to begin his prophetic career, he proclaimed a drought in this manner, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). True to being a prophet, a spokesman for God, Elijah arrogantly passed on God’s message. He had had strong backup from God and was able to defy kings and soldiers. Elijah was able to raise the dead child of a Gentile widow (17:22). After proving to Israelites that Yahweh was the one true God on Mount Carmel, Elijah was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot before the long awaited downpour could them up in Jezreel which is some 34 km from Mount Carmel¹(18:46). Therefore, it puzzles me why when queen Jezebel, who brought in the worship of Baal and those false prophets, threatened to kill him, “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life” (19:3a). What made Elijah feel that God no longer supported him so that he prayed to God for death, “Enough, LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors” (19:4b)? “My ancestors” might refer to King Saul who lost God’s favour and support and died an inglorious death (1 Samuel 31:9-10). Indeed, meeting God on Mount Horeb, Elijah’s ego must have further been shattered. He had always thought that “the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant. They have destroyed Your altars and murdered Your prophets by the sword. I alone remain” (1 Kings 19:10b, 14b). But the LORD corrected him after giving him his last missions, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him” (19:18). Perhaps after seeing the truth, Elijah regained his confidence and later even called fire down to consume 50 soldiers and their captain sent by king Ahaziah twice (2 Kings 1:10, 12)! But his manners were different. This transition from being over-confident to despair and back is worth meditating.

We can detect a sense of inflated ego in Elijah when he started his prophetic ministry. For example, in announcing the drought to Ahab, he says, “… during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Should he not say, “… until I pronounce God’s forgiveness”? When he wanted to challenge the false prophets of Baal to show the Israelites who the true God is, he told Ahab, “Now summon all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal…” (18:19). Why not simply, “Now summon all Israel on Mount Carmel”? In front of the Israelites on Mount Carmel, Elijah still insisted, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD” (18:22a) though earlier on, Obadiah, the master of Ahab’s palace had told him that “When Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the LORD --- that I hid a hundred of the prophets of the LORD, fifty each in caves, and supplied them with food and water” (18:13b). Such a narration shows an Elijah with a big ego. Elijah had always been obedient to God’s instruction. However, his inflated ego might probably prompt him to overdo what God told him to do. For example, after demonstrating that Yahweh is God, Elijah incited the people to seize the prophets of Baal and to bring them down to the Wadi Kishon where he slaughtered them (18:40). How long would it take for Elijah to kill 450 false prophets single-handedly? He must be a very strong and athletic person because later, Elijah was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot! No wonder he was so abrasive!

Wait! Had Elijah been too overzealous in executing the justice of God? Had God instructed him to kill all the Baal prophets? Look at King Ahab at a later time. God sent Elijah to announce His punishment on Ahab’s murder of Naboth and taking possession of Naboth’s vineyard, Ahab humbled himself and showed remorse (21:27). God suspended His punishment until after Ahab’s death. Unlike the Israelites who had a covenant with God, meaning it was justifiable for the Levites to follow Moses’ command to kill 3,000 worshippers of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:28), those Baal prophets were brought in by queen Jezebel and had not entered into any meaningful relationship with Yahweh. Would God not want to give them an opportunity to repent and live (Ezekiel 18:32) like Ahab? Perhaps that night, God showed His displeasure of Elijah’s massacre and consequently, Elijah felt that he had lost favour and support from God. Though on the previous day he was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot, Elijah was afraid that he would not be able to outrun again Jezebel’s assassins and had to flee for his life.

After meeting God on Mount Horeb, Elijah had become a mild person and less imposing. When he made Elisha his successor, he went over to the ploughing Elisha and threw his cloak on him (19:19). When Elisha wanted to return home to kiss his parent good-bye, unlike Jesus (Luke 9:61-62), Elijah did not dissuade him. He did not insist but simply says, “What have I done to you?” (19:20). Later, when the two captains of king Ahaziah passed on the king’s command, saying “Man of God, the king commands you, ‘Come down’” (2 Kings 1:9, 11), Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men” (1:10, 12). Elijah did not force God to bring fire down from heaven to destroy the soldiers. Finally, he was able to acknowledge God’s supremacy. It was Yahweh who restored the breath of life of the dead child, withheld and showered rain, sent fire down to consume the altar and the soldiers. What can we learn from Elijah’s coaster roaster journey of life?

The second reading today is able to shed lights on how we should discharge our prophetic ministry received from our baptism. Paul says, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:31-32). Was Elijah not an embodiment of these two verses, turning from a bitter, angry and arrogant man to a compassionate and forgiving prophet? Being Christians, we should go beyond what Elijah has achieved. Paul continues, “As beloved children of God, live in love, as Christ … as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma” (5:1-2). To do God’s will, Christ obeyed and suffered a shameful death on the cross as a fragrant sacrificial offering. Thus, in discharging our prophetic ministry as God’s spokesmen to proclaim God’s love, we Christians should be prepared to suffer blasphemy, defeat, disappointment, rejection and ridicules etc. as a fragrant sacrifice to please God, instead of imposing our superior morality upon others, forcing them to be Good Samaritans. Our intentions are insufficient to justify our means!

Beloved brethren! We are our own greatest enemies and obstacles. Our ambitions, greed, jealousy, pride and vanity tend to push us to overdo God’s will while sloth and lust tend to pull our legs to aim at lower targets. Jesus has already told us how to accomplish God’s work, namely to believe in Him (John 6:29). The Jews demanded miracles from heaven. We do not. Yet, how difficult it is to believe in Jesus in modern societies! Besides overcoming the prevalent scientific superstition in modern times, we need to remove our ambitions, greed, jealousy, lust, pride, sloth and vanity as well. In short, we need to renounce ourselves and remain in poverty financially, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually in order to do the will of God authentically. Otherwise, we will be doing evil in God’s name.
God bless!

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¹https://www.distancesfrom.com/how-far-is-mt-carmel-Israel-from-Jezreel-Valley/HowFarHistory/5962533.aspx
2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: aiimagegenerator.is

When Jesus Sleeps 當耶穌睡著時

Twelfth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: When Jesus Sleeps 當耶穌睡著時

Today, we read of Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ miracle of calming the storm. Mark’s gospel tells us of a Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is more powerful than Caesar who also claimed to be the son of god. Mark’s Son of God is a man of action. He works miracles without hesitation. However, before Mark 4, the miracles only show that Jesus is human because human beings are also able to perform exorcisms and to heal diseases. But calming the storm is a miracle of a higher level. In general, we take this miracle as a proof of the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ who possesses two different natures in one person of the Son of God.

As a human being, Jesus was exhausted after a day’s work of preaching and healing. He needed to sleep to replenish His strength for another day’s work. Moreover, Christ is truly divine because as the disciples says, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (Mark 4:41b） The disciples could only see the visible humanity of Jesus. They were not yet able to comprehend His divinity. The first reading supplies us with the proof text we need. I am sure most of you have heard of the story of Job. The author of the book of Job tried to make sense of why innocent people suffer for no obvious purpose. In answering this challenge from Job, God did not pass judgment on whether Job was sinful or not, thus proving that Job “deserved” the sufferings. Instead, God points out Job’s ignorance saying, “Who is this who darkens counsel with words of ignorance?” (Job 38:2）. Of course, we are unable to compare our intelligence to that of our Creator’s. Just as Isaiah says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways --- oracle of the LORD. For as heaven are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9）. Had God not bothered revealing Himself to us, we would not have been able to understand a little bit of His modus operandi. Back to Job. God started enumerating His acts of Creation saying, “Who shut within doors the sea … When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door, and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves stop” (Job 38:8a, 10-11）. Only God is able to perform such feats. Therefore, in the calming of the storm miracle, Jesus showed off His divinity by speaking to the raging sea, “Quiet! Be still!” and the wind ceased and there was great calm (Mark 4:39b）. Indeed, this calming the storm miracle together with the feeding of 5000 with five loaves and two fish are signs/miracles from heaven demanded by the Pharisees (8:11）. They prove the divinity of Jesus.

When I meditate on this miracle these days, I wonder why, among so many ways to show the humanity of Jesus such as His Nativity and eating with tax collectors etc., God chose “sleep”. I am sure that it is worth meditating.
There are two occasions in which the gospels speak of Jesus’ sleep, namely in the miracle of calming the storm which we read today. The second occasion is his burial in the tomb. In both cases, the disciples were in great fear. What was Jesus’ doing in both cases? Before I go any further, I need to justify why I treated Jesus’ death as a sleep. The gospel of John supports me with the story of Lazarus in which Jesus spoke of Lazarus’ death as a sleep. “‘Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him’ … But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep” (John 11:11b, 13）. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus also spoke of the death of Jairus’ daughter as a sleep (Mark 5:39）. Luke gives us another clue when he tells the story of the martyrdom of Stephen. Luke finishes with, “As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and when he said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60）. We see that both Jesus and Stephen speak of death as a sleep. It is a typical Christians belief that Christ has conquered death. Death is no longer a total annihilation but a crossing over a threshold to waiting for the final eternal life. We have to remember that speaking of death as a sleep waiting for resurrection does not guarantee that the time before death is NOT painful. No, it can be excruciatingly painful. Therefore, it is truly a blessing to die peacefully in sleep. Now that I have two witnesses, I am not wrong in treating Jesus’ death as a sleep!

Bear in mind that Jesus is the New Adam (Romans 5:19, 1 Corinthians 15:22）, let us look at the sleep of the original Adam. “So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, He took out one of his ribs and … built the rib … into a woman” (Genesis 2:21-22）. Just as a new form of life emerged from the original Adam, do we find a new creation from the sleep of Jesus, the New Adam? Yes, we do! Paul demonstrates a more mature understanding of Jesus Christ than the disciples in Mark 4. Because of his Damascus’ experience (Acts 9:3-6）, Paul was more capable of seeing the divinity of Jesus than the disciples early in their followings. Thus, in the second reading today, Paul claims, “Even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer” (2 Corinthians 5:16b）. Then he continues, “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (5:17）. Paul insists that we should not understand the historical human Jesus only. We need to know the theological Christ as well. Let us explore how new creation comes about in Jesus’ sleep.

Let us start from the end, the second sleep!

Tradition tells us that the Lord descended into Hell to release all those ancient souls of the Old Covenant, namely Adam, Eve, Abel, Abraham and King David etc. who have been waiting for the foretold Messiah (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14, 11:1-9）. The Apostles’ Creed says so and a lot of icons depict such a scene. Although the Nicaean Creed does not include this article of faith, we have to remember that Catholic theology is rather defensive. If people start to challenge a certain article of faith, theologians would debate and deliberate it. In the end, the Church would either abandon it or enshrine it as a dogma. Take the case of the Christian Tradition of the breaking of bread (Acts 2:46） and some other practices (8:17; James 5:14）. The Nicaean Creed does not mention them because in 300 AD, no heretics challenged them. Five hundred years ago during the Reformation, the seven Sacraments have become a dogma because of volleys of challenges from the Protestants! Return to the article of faith that Jesus descended into Hell for three days. We can still hold on to it as long as the Church does not declare it wrong! Jesus descended into Hell to renew the Old Covenant and incorporate it into the New Covenant, bringing the Old to fruition!

Now, what about Jesus’ sleep on a storm-tossed boat? Did Jesus bring about a new Creation in His brief nap on the boat? I would speculate that in His brief nap, Jesus drew up the blueprint of the future Kingdom of God, the Church, His Spouse. We knew practically nothing how the LORD God fashioned Eve out of the rib of Adam. But in the case of the Church, we see the steps Jesus took to build her up. After raising the daughter of Jairus from dead, thus confirming once more His divinity and His identity as the Author of Life, Jesus sent the Twelve to evangelize. The evangelization was successful. The Twelve were able to gather 5000 people for Jesus to perform the five loaves and two fish miracle. Then Peter walked on the water to prove his love of Christ. Then, in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus made Peter the Rock of the Church, making the future Church catholic and apostolic etc. Unlike the making of Eve in which the time taken was brief, perfecting the Church (Ephesians 5:26-27） takes millennia. Making the process of Church building visible is advantageous for building up the faith of believers.

Like the boat tossed by storms and waves, the Church navigates perilously among the nations. She pleases nobody but God and thus becomes enemies to Communists as well as Capitalists. Without political alliance, the Church faces enemies on all sides. The miracle today tells us that our faith has always been weak. We are aware of the presence of the Lord. Yet, we doubt whether the LORD would keep His covenant with His new creation.
Beloved brethren! Let us pray to the LORD to strengthen our faith. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: mrjdobbs.wordpress.com, medium.com

How to Inspire Confidence in Others? 如何讓人有信心?

Pentecost Sunday, Year B
Theme: How to Inspire Confidence in Others? 如何讓人有信心?

Perhaps I have spent too much time and energy working as a permanent deacon. My family members find that my performance in other areas are below their expectations and that I am not able to take care of myself properly like other adults are. In their eyes, I tend to finish leftovers on the dishes most of the time. I should not be doing this in view of my diabetic conditions. Probably, this was how I was raised up in my generation. We were taught to finish all the food, whether we liked it or not. Take into consideration that my parents were living during war times; they could not afford to waste a single crumb of it. Time has changed but old habits die-hard.

Recently, my health is going downwards more quickly. My doctor starts prescribing aspirin as a proactive measure because my heartbeats are becoming irregular. As a result, my wounds will take longer to heal! I don't know when or how I have sustained one such wound on my right foot and it does not heal for at least three months. Another incident happened on May 1, a public holiday. My younger brother and I enjoyed a drinking spree over global politics that evening. In the end, I took a cross-harbour tunnel bus as usual from Chai Wan where my younger brother lives and changed to another bus in Mongkok to come home. I was able to get off at the correct stop and managed to enter my flat. My wife found a lot of vomit stuff all over me. She managed to bathe and cleanse me but I kept vomiting so much so that my blood sugar level had crossed a critical threshold. She immediately dialled 999 and I was admitted to A&E, hospitalized for one-and-a-half day! This incident puts her in a confidence-crisis. The root of this crisis is the love of me instead of blaming me for not taking proper care of myself. When we got married, we vowed to love and take care of each other for the rest of our lives. We have entered a covenant in which even until death we don’t part! Nevertheless, that ageing has attenuated my health, physically as well as mentally, is a rock solid reality!

Take a look at another covenant, one between the risen Lord and His spouse, the Church. Jesus Christ had not chosen an immaculately perfect bride but one with spots and wrinkles. “Christ loved the Church and handed Himself over for her to sanctify her, cleans her by the bath of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the Church in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25b-27). The Church has been glorious, heroic and noble throughout the ages but not without corruptions or scandals. You will be able to find many videos on Youtube that showcase evil popes in the history of the Catholic Church. Moreover, the performance of individual clergy during the 2019 social unrests in Hong Kong made many parishioners disappointed and lose faith in the Church. They claim to love Christ but not the Church because she is only a social institution and her clergy are mere men! Yes, these parishioners are suffering from a confidence-crisis! Though in her glorious days during the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages she had been a Perfect Society, the Catholic Church has struggled hard to catch up with changes in the modern world. Not infrequently did she canonize saints to brush up her self-image and cheer up the morale of her faithful. Yet, her performance as a whole has been below expectations for many. Still, she manages to survive for more than two millennia. We need to see deeper into this so-called “social institution” to understand how she manages to do so. The answer lies in the workings of the Holy Spirit. Today, we celebrate His descent on the Church as narrated in the first reading. The significance of this text is a resolution of the divisions among humanity as recorded in the story the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. Plurality of cultures is not something to dread with but to celebrate. When the Holy Spirit descended, differences in language were no longer obstacles to human communications. Humanity do not need to speak the same language because love, especially divine love, is a universal language.

In the gospel reading today, Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles to empower them on a reconciliation mission to the world. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:22-23). God is almighty not in His power to work earth-shaking miracles but in His mercy to forgive all sins past, present and future. Now, Jesus commissions the Church to forgive sins like what He did on the cross (Luke 23:34). St. Paul puts it in a similar manner, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). The Church has been following Jesus’ teaching to love and care for the hungry, the homeless and the sick etc. To a certain extent, she has been rectifying the wrongs and cleaning up the mess the powerful and the wealthy have done against the underprivileged. Nowadays, in her social teachings and actions, the Church has been more vocal in advocating for the exploited and the poor. In suffering with the needy and awaking the powerful and the wealthy, the Church is trying to reconcile the world to God. The Holy Spirit is the driving force behind all her efforts.

In order to measure how successful the Church has been, we can look up the indicators enumerated in, again St. Paul’s teachings. He says in the second reading of today, “In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23a). Alas! We should bear in mind that the Church is made up of sinners who put their self-interests before others. They have not shown sufficient love towards the others. Many have been impatient to see “improvements” done according to their own standards. More are lenient to themselves but demanding towards others etc….

Beloved brethren! Before we lose confidence in the Church, let us go to the root: sinners make up the Church. Let us invoke the Holy Spirit to reinvigorate the seven gifts Church members received in the Sacrament of Confirmation. May wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and the fear of God (Isaiah 11:2-3) revitalize our spiritual life so that together we may be able to renew the face of the earth (Psalms 104:30). Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: stcosman.com.au